The Matthews' Menu

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

I let my kids drink chocolate milk on a daily basis. I've gotten better in that I only let them have one cup of it a day now, but it used to be with nearly every meal! I've made homemade Honey Mustard Dressing from scratch now (it's also a daily staple) trying to change out all that high fructose, preservative stuff in out diets and am committed to this recipe too as our new Hershey's substitute. I actually like it better anyway, so yay! I double the recipe and it actually lasts for a few weeks; since it's richer you don't need to use as much. Also great on ice cream!

Chocolate SyrupAnnie's Eats

INGREDIENTS

1¼ cups sugar

1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup water

¼ tsp. salt

2 tsp. vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and cocoa powder and whisk briefly to break up any clumps. Stir in the water and salt and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Once the mixture reaches a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low and let simmer until slightly thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand for 5 minutes. Stir in the vanilla. Store in the refrigerator.

Mix chicken, cream cheese, chills and cheese together; I find it easier to just squish it altogether with my hand. Fill each tortilla with about 1/3 cup mix and roll up into a burrito with both ends closed. Heat about an inch deep of oil in frying pan to medium heat. With tongs, place chime's in the oil until bottom side is golden and crispy. Turn over and repeat until all the way done. Heat enchilada sauce and poor over the tops for serving. Serve with sour cream, black beans and romaine lettuce. Mmmm.

I had this bookmarked for a while and then when my sis-in-law tried it with rave reviews I put it right on the menu. Loved the greek flavors and the lightness of this meal. This kids enjoyed it too. It has become a real favorite!

Preheat oven to recommended temperature on the back of the frozen tilapia bag.Bring a medium pot of water to boil. Add the orzo to the pot and cook until a few minutes shy of al dente. Meanwhile, combine the spinach, onion, tomatoes, olives, and butter in a large bowl. Drain the orzo in a fine strainer. Pour the hot pasta into the bowl with the butter and vegetables and toss gently until well mixed. Season to taste with salt and pepper.To make the compound butter, combine the butter, garlic, dill, lemon zest and juice, and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Mix until well combined.Spread the orzo mixture into a large casserole dish. Lay the portions of fish over the orzo and spread the compound butter over each of the fish fillets. Bake according to time on fish package or until fish flakes easily when scraped with a fork. Remove from oven and sprinkle each serving with a bit of fresh dill and lemon wedges. Serve immediately.

Preparation Instructions

Heat canola oil in a skillet over medium heat. Heat enchilada sauce in a separate skillet or saucepan.

Using tongs, fry tortillas one at a time, for only about five to ten seconds per side (don't allow to crisp.) Remove from oil, then dunk tortilla in enchilada sauce. Lay tortilla on a plate, then spoon a good two or three tablespoons of the sour cream mixture in the middle. Roll tortilla, then place face down in a 9 x 13 inch baking pan. Repeat with remaining tortillas and sour cream mixture.

(If there's any sour cream mixture left over, use it as a dip for tortilla chips!)

Cover the dish with the remaining cheese, then bake for 15 to 20 minutes until bubbly.

Serve immediately. Place a dollop of sour cream on each serving, then sprinkle on sliced green onions.

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the zucchini, basil, parsley and onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes. Add the flour, salt and pepper and stir and cook for one minute. Gradually add the chicken broth, whisking or stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice; mix well. Bring the soup to a simmer, stirring to prevent sticking, and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the zucchini is tender but still has some bite to it (it will continue cooking for a few more minutes). Add the tomatoes, evaporated milk, and corn. Bring the soup to a boil and reduce the heat to medium-low. Cover the soup and simmer until the corn and zucchini are tender. Stir in the cheese just before serving.

DIRECTIONS:For the salad, combine the cooked chicken and BBQ sauce in a medium bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a large bowl, toss together the iceberg lettuce, romaine lettuce, red onion, cilantro, corn, black beans and cheese. Toss the mixed salad with about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the dressing, if desired. Otherwise, you can serve the dressing on the side. Place salad on plates and top with the prepared BBQ chicken and additional dressing.

For the dressing, combine all the ingredients together and whisk (or shake, if using a jar) vigorously to combine. You could also run this through a blender to make it even more smooth. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

Welcome to My Kitchen

Nothing fancy, I just wanted to have a place to share some of the new and successful recipes that I'm trying out in the hopes that I may be able to provide some ideas and inspiration that my own kitchen sometimes lacks. If you do end up trying any of them I'd love it if you let me know how it went for you or if there were any changes that you made to make it even better.